Wheat Vs Oats

Was informed the rancher is planting wheat this year instead of oats. How well do the deer like the wheat compared to oats? We have about 50 acres that gets planted without a fence at the back of the property and two 2 acre fenced off plots near the front of the property. Deer and hogs where wearing out the oats last year. We are going to try to add some turnip seed next weekend in front of our stands after he plants.

When I can get them, I always prefer oats. But deer will eat wheat when they can't get oats.

The deer and hogs will hit the wheat just the same as the oats. I did side by side comparisons for years (wheat, oats and cereal rye) and for the most part, observed no preference of one over the others.

Agreed, you will not have any issues.

We had oats last year and numbers were down, we have had better luck with wheat. Would like to do a side by side comparison but can't talk people into that.

Deer will keep the wheat mowed down to less than 2 inches all season long, assuming some rain and moisture allows it to keep growing. Don't worry about it, they will hit it.

I've always had better luck with oats than wheat. Oats will brown easier when it gets cold though.

They will eat it as the fellas said, it just gets tougher sooner from what I've seen. It will usually handle colder weather too, but usually not a huge factor on much of Texas. Also depends on what variety (both wheat and oats) Some will stay "softer" longer than others, that is one of the biggest marketing ploys used by the Buck forage oat's boys.

For Most deer I don't think it matters much depending on what else is edible around them

Both are fine id plant whatever grows better in your area. If the oats start to get rust on them you can run a shredder through the patch up high to just cut the tops off when you get some warmer days and it will bring on a bit of tender growth

Nav if your oats get tall enough to shred I need to ship you some deer? We are lucky if they don't get pulled up when they come outta the ground.

I'd pass on the turnips if I were you. They grow really well but don't bring in the deer nearly as well as oats. We had a 10 acre plot of softball sized turnips a few years ago and the deer didn't touch them. Not even the greens.

Turnips require a frost to turn sweet enough to attract deer. The big advantage of turnips is that deer will ignore them even in high density areas until the first frost. That allows for the establishment of late season food plots. They are useless if you don't reliably get a frost.

LOL. Truth!

I have used turnips in the past and had a dozen deer on my field every morning. The oats didn't fare to well last year after that ice storm in dec. Good to hear other have had success with the wheat.

My plots arnt big enough to need it they get tore up. Use to drill a 20acre trap in oats on a place that was 1deer to every 5 acres and even with they couldn't keep up with the oats... Could count 40 deer in one afternoon and the oats were still knee high

I have been told and that deer will cross a wheat field to get to oats and I agree on this. Years ago oats would burn but I heard that they have some now that handle the frost better. Plus oat seed cost more.

Don't buy 'seed' oats, buy 'feed' oats. Much cheaper with just about the same rate of germination.

feed oats will certainly germinate.....but I wouldn't say you get the same germination as with seed quality. I'm no agriculturist.....but I've gone cheap on my share of things and cutting seed quality will effect crop quality. it becomes more obvious under lesser conditions. under prime conditions it will be a lesser effect.

Question:.....the latest thing I've gone cheap on is fertilizer....how many folks use fertilizer on their deer plots? my oats come up every year if they get water. plants seem ok. deer pulverize them. would I do any better if I went back to fertilizing?

JMO, I used to buy certified Oats seed, now it is generally "Whole feed oats". Most of the time you are broadcasting, so you should be putting it out heavier anyway. What I was told by a seed and feed supplier, oats seed like "Bob" are not any much difference if you buy whole feed oats, they just have a different tag listing noxious weed content. I don't know how true that is, but I never have seen a difference.

We had a fella at a lease one time that planted a plot on his own, and had maybe 3 oats sprout! 3 weeks after all ours where up, he pulled the bags out so we could see them, he had bought 3 bags of "steamed and crimped whole feed oats" lol

IMO fertilizer has many more benefits than none. Better stronger plant growth, root growth and nutritional value. Also the land isn't getting every nutrient sucked out without some kind of replacement. If my budget is tight, I will still fertilize at least 100# acre of balanced blend. This year I put out 300# acre on my small plot a bit higher in Phosphorus this time around.

Sure deer will eat them anyway, they are soft leaved and very palatable during early growth, but fertilized oats seem to recover heaving grazing much better and seem stronger over the winter.

Thanks, Western. Fertilizer it is then. Do not buy steamed, crimped feed oats.

Iv used nothing but feed oats. Never had a problem with germinating as long as they havnt been in stock for a while or stored to long. I usually put it in the ground the same day I buy it. But with the fertilizer its going to do nothing but help the plot keep up with the deer as much as possible... if your getting plenty of rain then no its not really needed but imo it is since your going to produce that much more.. the plot I was talking about was drilled and fertilized and also limed every 4 years or so. We also flash grazed the cattle on it for a few days and it was beneficial for both the cattle, plot, and deer.

I know not everyone is in the position to drill im certainly not on my own budget but a drag is a good way to raise your yield when broadcasting... or even running back though the plot after seed is put out with the disc set up a bit just to turn the ground back on top of the seed

Seed sitting on top of the soil has a poor chance of survival that's for sure, or at least "pressed" into the surface. I drag all mine since I never needed a g drill. When I had a larger place and planted oats for deer and to graze my cattle in late season, I hire a neighbor to drill it (no till) in since the acreage was more significant.

Deer love wheat and oats, both, but given the option, I'd like to try winter rye. It's much better for the ground.

I have the best luck with oats. Wheat works good too. Never had any luck with rye for the deer.

I noticed a significant improvement by dragging my plots before seeding to get more uniform seed bed, and dragging again after broadcasting a mixture of seed and fertilizer using a pull-behind spreader.

Mow, spray, disk, drag, broadcast, drag, pray.

Rye grass or cereal rye? Rye is used a lot here in MN because it won't freeze out. Rye grass has a very short palatable period unless grazed hard or mowed. Deer will dig down through the snow to eat frozen cereal rye.

They will eat rye but if there is tender oats or wheat in the area they will go to it before rye... Now once the oats are gone or to tough they will start hitting rye early in the year since it will be good and tender... its more of just a filler since its dosnt have much good for them.

Oats by far wheat is ok but oats are way better, they usually hit oats early in the season and wheat late in the season I used to plant both until this season but seeing as we have a demonrat in office and times are tight $$$ wise I just did oats this year.